A QUARTET OF PHILANTHROPIC SOCAL COMPANIES IN SYMPHONY FOR CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Forty-nine years ago, in the legendary pits of Riverside Raceway, a mechanic, known for his perfection, dreamed of one day owning his own automobile dealership. He dreamed of a dealership that would sell and service the finest luxury automobiles in America. That perfectionist was Walter Kienle, who has realized his dream in the Inland Empire.

Born in Germany to Swiss parents, Walter Kienle started his career training as a tool and die maker until he immigrated to the U.S. from Switzerland in 1948. Here, he worked as an auto mechanic in Redding, PA until he felt compelled to join the U.S. Army to serve his new country. Stationed at Fort Irwin in Barstow, his love of California was fostered.

He has never forgotten his early roots. Together with his wife Cathy Kienle, Walter’s Auto Group gives back to so many charities in the IE that it is hard to keep track. From $7 million for the local children’s hospital, to having each one of their dealerships collect Christmas toy donations for Lutheran Social Services of California’s Riverside programs for families – they truly are a business that has been doing Corporate Social Responsibility long before it became a regular practice of major businesses.

Other auto dealer associations like SoCal Honda Dealers, have formalized the process into fun campaigns. Last summer, the Helpful Honda Group sent their ice cream truck in the sweltering August heat to LSSSC’s Thousand Oaks, CA office. The line of program participants wrapped around the building as they and staff received free cool ice cream treats. It’s all part of their employees “Random Acts of Helpfulness” campaign.

Just south of Thousand Oaks, in Westlake Village, you’ll find the Sherwood Country Club, one of the finest golf courses in the U.S. Members of the club have created the Sherwood Cares Foundation to share both their love of golf and their community. Over the years, in fact, the foundation has become a significant force. Thus far, they’ve provided more than $3,900,000 in grants to local charitable organizations including LSSSC where their grants go to provide emergency services such as food, utilities, housing referrals, case management and more.

Back in the Inland Empire, Latino grocery chain Cardenas Markets gives back to charity through their Cardenas Cares Foundation. Although they naturally and regularly contribute to feeding programs like the one’s at LSSSC, they are serious about supporting other important initiatives – education and the health and wellness of children. Sharing the same value as LSSSC’s Upward Bound & Trio program to get kids to college, they will give out 64 $3,000 scholarships in 2023.

To discuss how your company can be involved in social responsibility, contact Ruby Ma at ruby@lsssc.org

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Four Heroes

Walter’s Automotive Group – Over $7 million raised through a Charity Golf Tournament they started to benefit children in the Inland Empire. www.waltersccc.org

SoCal Honda Dealers - For more than 10 years they have banded together in a campaign to commit random Acts of Helpfulness. www.socalhondadealers. com/blog/

Sherwood Cares Foundation supports more than 55 SoCal charities each year www.sherwoodcares.org/grants/grantsawarded/

-Harvard Business School, 2021

Rex Evans is a former helicopter pilot living in the San Bernardino City area. When he lost his housing during the COVID crisis, he turned to many agencies for help and found that he seemed to be “going in circles”. That’s when he heard about and turned to one of the area’s only shelters for men.

Rex is typical of a great deal of men seeking temporary shelter services – he just wanted help finding a job and safe shelter of his own. Despite a lot of work experience and a more than positive attitude, he found himself in need of additional resources while he looked for work.

“The case managers at Lutheran Social Services encouraged me and provided simple things I needed to stabilize my situation like transportation, food and temporary housing,“ he remembers.

“After just 3 months I found a job working for Amazon at the San Bernardino Airport.” The impact was immediate.

“For the first time in a while I had hope for the future because somebody looked above my circumstances,” he added. “They lifted me up, reminded me who I was, embraced me and said you are worthy. You can do this.”

Rex felt equipped and empowered to make a difference for the other men in the shelter by serving as a Resident Volunteer. “The common misconception is that all men entering the shelter are chronically homeless,” share Claire Siefekes, LSSSC Volunteer Coordinator.

To find out about how the Central City Lutheran Mission is being transformed and how you can help contact: lori.butler@lsssc.org or see: communitywellnesscampus.org